Game.



No. 696,862. Patented Apr. I, |902.

L. ERNST. GAME.

(No Model.) (Application 4med .rune 29, 1901,)

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l 1 mJL/lll UNTTED STnTns y FnTnNT @Tricia LOUIS ERNST, OF READING, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters atent No. 696,862, dated April 1, 1902.

Application filed J'une 29, 190]. Serial No. 66,569. (No model.)

To n/ZZ 11171/0711, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS ERNST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following' is a specification.

This invention relates to games, the object in view being to provide a game-board with movable objects thereon and provided with tunnels or raceways arranged in parallel order and adapted to form guides for the movable objects, the device being movably supported upon a centrally-located rocker-post by means of which the operator is enabled to manipulate the board by tilting the same in various directions, thereby causing the movable objects, which are usually in the form of balls or marbles, to traverse the surface of the board in different directions.

The object in playing the game is to cause the different balls or marbles, which are differently designated, to traverse different tunnels or raceways, the game being won by the person who exercises the greatest skill and causes the balls orV marbles to traverse their respective tunnels or raceways.

With the above general objects in view the invention consists in a game embodying certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a game-board constructed in4 accordance with the present invention. Fig.

2 is a vertical cross-section through the same,

taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, Fig. 3 is also a vertical cross-section taken at right angles to Fig. 2 and on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views.

The game contemplated in this invention comprises, essentially, a base or board l0, representing the field of operation, the said base or board being surroundedV by an upstanding rim ll, which extends around three sides of the board and which is connected at the front by means of a fender or strip l2, which forms proper,and l5 a thicker board,which is mounted upon and supported by the bottom 14 and which is of sufficient thickness to allow for the formation therein of a series of parallel bores 16, forming tunnels or raceways for a corresponding series of rolling objects, preferably in the form of balls or marbles, as indicated at 17.

The board l5 terminates short of the fender or strip l2, as shown in Figs. l and 3, so as to establish the terminal pen 13, and the rolling elements are confined upon the upper surface of the upper board 15 by means of the surrounding rim ll and a shallow guard 1,3 in the form of a strip, such as a piece of molding, extending across the front edge of the upper board l5, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 3. The strip 18 is, however, sufficiently low to require the operator to exercise considerable skill in order to prevent the rolling elements from jumping' over such guard and finding their way accidentally into the terminal pen 13.

The inner ends of the raceways 1G are flared to form bell-shaped openings or mouths 19, having elliptical entrances parallel with the tunnels or raceways to facilitate the dropping of the rolling elements therein.

The rolling element-s l7 are primarily deposited within an initial inclosure 20, arranged in one of the upper corners of the board and defined by the rim ll and a curved strip or fence 21, the initial inclosure being sufficiently large to contain all of the rolling elements, any desired number of which may be employed, but which should correspond in number with the number of openings 19 and tunnels or raceways 16, extending upwardly through the surface of the board.

The board has represented'thereon opposite each of the openings 19 the name of some country, and it is also desirable in some cases to correspondingly name the balls or marbles 17 by printing or otherwise representing thereon the names of such countries. One

of the balls or marbles 17 is preferably made larger than the rest and is printed to represent the United States.

In order to enable the operator to tilt and vary the angle of the base or board l0, such board is provided about centrally with a rocker-post 22, having a rounded lower surd IOO Y tunnels or raceways 16.

face 23, adapted to rest upon a table or similar support, and in order to limit the rocking or tilting movement of the base a stop 24 in the form of a depending strip is extended along the rear side of the base, as illustrated in Fig. 3, said stop being adapted to strike against the table or other support in a manner that will be readily understood.

In playing the game the several operators take their turns or innings, and each` operator places one or more of the balls 17 upon the surface of the board and by tilting or rocking the board in 'various directions en deavors to cause such balls to enter their respective openings 19 and traverse the tunnels or raceways 16, so as to be delivered finally into the terminal pen 13. During this operation the larger ball, representing the United States, is caused to traverse the surface of the board in company with the other ball or balls, so as to direct such balls into their :respective openings by impinging against the same, the large ball being of sufficient size to prevent it from falling into any of the openings or mouths 19 and passing through the The game is won by the player who causes the largest number of balls to enter their respective openings or inout-hs and pass through the tunnels or race- Ways into the terminal pen 13.

It will be apparent that any number of openings or mouths and tunnels or raceways, as well as any number of balls, maybe employed according to the desire or taste of the manufacturer. These and other chan gesin the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A game-board comprising a parallel series of tunnels each having a ball-opening extending through diierent parts of the surface of the board, a pen into which'the balls are discharged, a rocker-post for facilitating the manipulation of the Aboard and a depending strip adapted to provide a stop at the rear side of the board.

2. The herein-described game apparatus comprisingagaIne-board, an upstanding surrounding rim therefor, and parallel strips or guards forming an elongated terminal pen at one side of the board, the board being provided in its upper surface with openings communicating with raceways leading from such openings to the terminal pen,`an initial inclosure located opposite the terminal pen, rolling elements adapted to traverse the surface of the board and to enter said openings and pass through the raeeways into the terminal pen, a fulcrum post or rocker extend- `ing downward from the bottom of the board,

and a stop extending downward from one side of the board for the purpose of limiting the rocking movement of such board.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

n LOUIS ERNST.

Witnesses:

H. J. MYERS. F. Q. VORHIs. 

